Girl Talk

Published on February 2017 | Categories: Documents | Downloads: 29 | Comments: 0 | Views: 190
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WORRY
Do you ever wonder what direction your life is headed? Do you ever struggle worrying about if you are making right decisions? Are you so concerned about where you are headed that you are forgetting to enjoy the moment? If this sounds familiar… you are not alone! Often times the ‘world’ bombards teenagers with questions, forcing them to think about their future, while robbing them of ‘today’. Let’s explore what God says about this… Each day is a gift from God. Each day needs to be embraced and appreciated. God’s word says we are not to WORRY. In Mathew 6:25-27, the bible instructs us; “therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can anyone of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life?” What do you think God is telling you in this scripture? I have many thoughts about this; however, I would like to hear from you… Write in and share your thoughts about the scripture above, don’t be shy, I want to hear what you have to say. I pray that God will reveal His love for you as you meditate on this scripture. Ask God; just how this relates to your life, and let us know what you hear!

SELF IMAGE
Often I hear teenage girls say, “I don’t like myself”. This always surprises me, because when I converse with teens all over the world, I see beautiful young ladies with amazing talents and so much potential! When I ask, “why is it you do not like yourself ”, most often the response I hear is based on the way they look, or how popular they are, or if they have a boyfriend, or what they think ‘others’ say about them. If you find yourself thinking these same things, my advice to you today is… STOP!!! STOP… comparing yourself to others, especially to models who have had their pictures professionally edited, or actresses who have others picking out their wardrobes, and spending hours doing their makeup and hair. STOP… desiring to be part of the ‘popular crowd’! If you have to be anyone other than ‘yourself’ to fit in, you are looking to ‘fit in’ with the wrong people. STOP… striving to get the approval of a ‘boy’, who at your age, has no idea how to treat you properly, and will cause you heartache. STOP…worrying about the opinions of others! STOP… and take time to appreciate how uniquely, and wonderfully, God made you! STOP… trying to seek other’s approval and strive to seek God’s approval. God’s thoughts towards you are of love! What are your thoughts towards yourself? You cannot receive God’s love or give love if you do not love yourself first. I challenge you… for the next 28 days; look into the mirror and say, “I love myself”! Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Develop a habit of ‘loving yourself’! When you love yourself, the world around you appears brighter! It is your life! Do not give anyone else the power to steal your joy! Decide today to be in agreement with God ~ God loves you!!!

VISION
Why is it that so many teenagers seem to focus on the negative rather than the positive? Why are so many young people ready to give up on life? I believe it is because they are longing for something more out of life then what they are experiencing! Over the years, I have encouraged teenagers, to think… “Outside of the Box”. To think about… “What they would do with their life if resources were unlimited”? Their responses always amazed me! Most often, the visions they shared, would make the world a better place! When I ask them, “what would your life be like, if your vision could become reality’? “EXCITING”, most would say! Next, I would ask… “WHAT are YOU going to do about fulfilling that vision”? The initial response, for some, usually focused on the reasons why their vision could only be a dream. Others, the courageous ones, would get really excited, and start brain storming on what they could do to turn their vision into a reality! These were the ones, who trusted, that as they did their part, GOD would do his part!

When you can vision something in your life that is beyond your ‘little world’, you are positioned to have a much better perspective on life. All of a sudden, your focus is not on what is wrong in your life, but rather how YOU can make a difference in the world around you! Life now becomes exciting! God has created you with a specific plan in mind; you are created to accomplish great things. The bible tells us… “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.” (Proverbs 29:18 MSG) The vision that you see when you ‘think outside of the box’, is a God given vision. A vision that is too big for you to fulfill without Him! I challenge you to begin to think outside of yourself and your life as it is now, and start seeking God’s will for your life. You will be amazed at how exciting life becomes! Be one of the few who have the courage to say … YES to God’s vision for your life, and start enjoying the wonderful life God has created for you! Decide to be “Courageous” and discover that your life can be EXCITING!

Encouragement
Everyone is looking for some encouraging news these days. The world around us is changing by the moment and teenagers especially, are feeling the pressures of “life” caving in around them. Many are searching for ‘encouragement’, and relief from all the pressures. Family, friends, school, work; the pressures are enormous! Where is the relief…? Be encouraged!!! God is aware of your circumstances. And He has created you for such a time as this. You are not here on this earth, at this time, by accident… but rather by divine appointment. God has equipped you with the necessary ‘weapons’ to fight in this battle of “life”. The world around us looks different today than it did in the past; however, God is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb.13:8) The same God that appointed young David to fight the giant Goliath, and gave him the victory with nothing more than a slingshot and 5 stones, is the same God that has appointed YOU to fight the ‘Goliath’s of this age’! (If you are not familiar with this story, read 1Samuel 17) Young David took his stand against the giant, trusting in the power of his God, and used what was in his hands to defeat the giant before him and won the battle. What does the giant(s) in your life look like? Does it look like, depression, rejection, cutting, addictions, broken relationships, academic challenges, the list goes on… Whatever the enemy has placed before you is not too big for you to fight against when God is on your side. If God is for you, who can be against you! (Rms. 8:31) Take up your slingshot ~ the word of God, prayer, worship, and praise! Stand strong against the schemes of the enemy. God’s word tells you… “Do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10) Be encouraged!!! You are more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens you. (Rms 8:37) Your age is not a factor; Your God is the common denominator when it comes to winning the battle. Do not fear. Take up your slingshot and fight against the giants in your life, do not allow the giants to intimidate you. David was not intimidated, you need not be either! David was not in the battle field by accident, and neither are you… You are here by divine appointment…to defeat the giant and WIN the battle!

FEAR
Being emotional is part of being a teenage girl! Recently, I was in a conversation with a young lady and she was expressing her thoughts over a situation in her life. It was very clear to me that she was reacting out of “fear”, although it was apparent she was not aware of this, as she was overwhelmed by her emotions. After we talked for a while, and I asked her some questions, it became clear to her that “fear” was at the center of her problem. Fear can disguise itself in many ways. Making bad decisions to take drugs or drink alcohol is often made out of the ‘fear of not being accepted’. Agreeing to have sexual relationships before you are married is often rooted in the ‘fear of not being loved’. Rebelling against authority, (parents/teacher/law enforcement), is often rooted in the ‘fear of being controlled’. Staying in relationships with girlfriends who disrespect you is often rooted in the ‘fear of being alone’.

If ‘fear’ is controlling how you are making decisions, the only effective weapon you have to overcome this is “FAITH”. Faith in God and his love for you. Faith in God’s perfect plan for your life. If you keep your eyes on Jesus and not on your emotions your faith will become stronger than your fears. The benefits to living a life of faith and not fear are many! First you will experience God’s peace in your life, and you will avoid the pitfalls that fear will eventually lead you into. God’s word says, “I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind”. (2 Tim. 1:7) Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be trouble and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) Take time to be honest with yourself and ask yourself this question… “Am I making decisions because I am fearful”? A life based on faith is powerful, a life based in fear is destructive…YOU choose!

FOCUS
If you were asked…”what is the focus of your day”, what would you say? Is your focus to look the prettiest, to be popular, to make good grades, to be the best athlete? God’s word says to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given onto you.”(Mathew 6:33).God wants your focus to be on Him and His way of doing things. He promises as you do this, he will give you the desires of your heart. It’s a new year, a time to think about the year ahead and all the opportunities it holds for you. Be challenged this year to put the temptation to focus on ‘yourself’ and ‘your needs’ aside, and instead, direct your focus on God and the things that are dear to His heart. Focus on the needs of those around you. There are people at your school and in your neighborhood who do not know the love of Jesus. How might you demonstrate God’s love to those around you? Perhaps you can be a friend to someone who is not so popular, perhaps you can help someone in need, volunteer to babysit for a mom who needs a few hours to herself. Look for opportunities to serve others and by doing so you will be demonstrating God’s love in practical ways. Ask God to help you be more sensitive to the needs of others this year. Ask God to give you the boldness and the desire to serve others and not just focus all your attention on YOU! As you seek to help others, you are “being about the Fathers’ business” and this pleases God. As you focus on others you are giving God opportunity to work in your life and in your behalf. God knows what is best for you and how to bring that to pass in your life. As you focus on God he will focus His love and attention on YOU!

HEART MATTERS
What is in your ‘heart’ matters to God! The bible tells us; “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) The ‘heart’ ~ that place deep within your being that is the center of who you are. This is where you connect with God, and it is top priority for God to connect with you! God tells us in his word, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23) Why do you think God is so concerned with you ‘heart’? It is with your ‘heart’ that you ‘connect’ with God. Your relationship with God begins with believing in him in your ‘heart’, and it is with your ‘heart’ that you continue to develop a strong relationship with God. There are so many things in life that are tugging for the attention of your ‘heart’. Why do you think this is? If other things can get the attention of your ‘heart’; you will soon find that it is difficult to connect with God. You can be certain, the enemy wants you distracted and disconnected from God.

Things that may be tugging at your heart are; hurt, fear, offense, anxiety, mistrust, unbelief, jealousy, unforgiveness, and anger, just to mention a few. Involvement in sin will also clutter your heart. Things such as these will cause you to be disconnected from God. I challenge you today to examine your ‘heart’. What are the things in your life that you are giving your ‘heart’ too? What things are cluttering up your ‘heart’? A cluttered ‘heart’ has no room for the love of God. Is connecting with God your top priority? God wants all of your heart, not just the ‘left overs’. The bible tells us, “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”(Mathew 22:37) God wants your ‘heart’ so he can fill you with his joy and his love. Ask God to search your ‘heart’ and reveal anything that is a barrier between you and him. Ask God to send his love to cleanse your ‘heart’ and make you whole. It is never too late to turn your ‘heart’ back towards God. Give God all of your ‘heart’ and watch him do amazing things in your life.

RELATIONSHIPS
Are you having trouble in your relationships? You are not alone. Did you know that many other teenage girls are struggling with the same issue? Only you will not hear them talk about it. Why do you think this is so? After speaking with many girls and hearing their stories, I have sensed a common thread. Can you guess what the common link is? If you guessed “self-confidence” you are correct! Many girls struggle with “who they are” and “who they think they should be”; therefore they are looking for acceptance among friends, and especially among boyfriends. This is where the struggle takes place. Until you decide to be confident in yourself, you will always be looking for approval from others. The trouble here is that those you are seeking approval from, are struggling with their own issues of self-confidence. Oh…it may not appear that way to you, however, hidden under their outward appearance are teenagers who are struggling with low self-esteem. The way to improve your relationships is to build your self-confidence. The way to do this, is to stop seeking approval from others and seek to be the best at “being you”. God designed you perfectly, with unique gifts and talents. When you seek to “be like others” you are going against the natural intelligence built into you! Seek to please God, not others and watch things around you change. At best you will be happier “being yourself” than you will ever be trying to “be who others want you to be”. Seek after God’s approval, allow yourself to follow your own desires and watch and see that you will attract great friends, both girls and boys, to yourself. You will attract other confident young people who accept you and don’t want to change you. Then in these relationships you are free to be yourself; without worrying about the approval of others. I challenge you to put aside thoughts that “you have to be like the other girls”, and dare to be “yourself”. Dare to set the example of a “selfconfident” young woman. Will you take the challenge?

FRESH START
Summer is coming to an end, the Fall season will be here soon. Fall is always a “refreshing time”; it is a season of change, a season of revitalization, and preparation for the fresh start of new things to come. It is a season of crisp air, cool breezes, and clear skies. This time of year for teenagers, is often filled with anxiety of things ‘unknown’. New teachers, new friends, new schedules, new cities, new jobs, the list is endless. However, none of these things surprise God. God is aware of all the changes taking place in the natural realm, as well as in your life. Just as nature yields itself to God’s wisdom, be encouraged and yield yourself to God’s perfect plan for you this season.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”(Jeremiah 29:11) Be encouraged as you enter into this next season, be expecting God to show you new things, give you a fresh start; perhaps at school, with friends and family, with a job. Be encouraged to be yourself, don’t take hold of pressures others may be holding out there for you. Walk your journey, and watch yourself be transformed as God works in you and through you. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10) God is with you where ever you are. Be expecting great things; what happened last year is over, what happened yesterday is over. “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”(Luke 18:27)… Today is a “Fresh Start.”

YOU ARE SPECIAL
I watched a movie recently that prompted this blog posting. The movie was about a race horse being trained as a champion competitor. The race horse was valuable and respected because of his “blood line”. His owner was convinced that because of his heritage he would be great! I got to thinking…how much more valuable are we as the descendants of God!!! We have royal blood flowing through our veins. God is our ‘daddy’, we were destined for greatest. Just stop and think about it, we are children of God, the almighty, all powerful. There is nothing that can stop us from becoming all we were destined to be. Just like in the story, the race horse developed into a champion! You too can be a champion when you train with Jesus. He will teach you all you need to know to win your race called “life”. God’s word says Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart…” God believes in you…Do you believe in yourself? You are a champion on the inside. Do not let anyone or anything stop you from becoming all you can be. Run your race; follow the path God puts before you. Do not compare yourself with others, because no one is designed exactly like you. Keep your eyes on the finish line, and not on those along side of you. Be who God designed you to be, and you will become a champion. You are special God is convinced of this!

Tired of the same old routines…
Ever get the feeling that today is nothing more than a repeat of yesterday? Day after day, I hear young people who talk about their day as if it is nothing special. Often when asked the question, “what are your plans for today”, a common response is “nothing new, same old, same old”. When I think about what a “gift” each day is, I am troubled when I hear young people react with such a response. Jesus died that you might have life and have life abundantly! Each day is a day of new beginnings. Each day is a gift, which when opened with anticipation, is full of surprises. I challenge you to look at today with a new awareness. God has hidden treasures in store for you. Only those that are diligently seeking after those treasures will find them. Look at today as an adventure. Many of you, at one time or other have gone out on a “hidden treasure hunt”; remember how much fun that was! Just the anticipation that you would find new things as you searched around for them, was so much fun, and being the first to find them made it even more exciting! Just think how different your day would be, if you looked at each moment as part of a “treasure hunt”. God knows the plans he has for you today! God’s blessings are new every morning!

Take the challenge, start today as part of a new adventure and see what is hidden around the corner for you to discover! Keep your eyes opened, expect to find hidden treasures. They are hidden that you may discover them; see each day as a journey of discovery. Most of all, take someone along on the journey with you. See the wonders God has hidden just for you!

LOVE: Just a Feeling or a Choice?
This is often the time of year when I re-evaluate my “love walk”. Yes…did you know that we can make a decision to walk in love with those around us? Often we are expecting certain levels of love and respect from others in our life towards us; however, when was the last time you evaluated your life to see if you have been demonstrating love to others? Have you recently reached out to someone with an act of kindness with no expectations in return? Have you recently reached out to be kind to someone who everyone else ignores? Or perhaps when was the last time you were kind to someone who has hurt you? Love is not just a ‘feeling’, it is a decision! Decide today to be loving towards others, regardless of their behavior towards you, and watch God do amazing things through you. When we take the focus off ourselves and direct our thinking towards the needs of others, our own lives improve. Jesus demonstrated the ultimate sacrifice of love. He died, so that we may have eternal life. He loved us before we ever loved him. Let’s share our blessing of the love of God with those around us. Dare to be different, step out of your comfort zone, and love others just because God loves you!

You are Special
I watched a movie recently that prompted this blog posting. The movie was about a race horse being trained as a champion competitor. The race horse was valuable and respected because of his “blood line”. His owner was convinced that because of his heritage he would be great! I got to thinking…how much more valuable are we as the descendants of God!!! We have royal blood flowing through our veins. God is our ‘daddy’, we were destined for greatest. Just stop and think about it, we are children of God, the almighty, all powerful. There is nothing that can stop us from becoming all we were destined to be. Just like in the story, the race horse developed into a champion! You too can be a champion when you train with Jesus. He will teach you all you need to know to win your race called “life”. God’s word says Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart…” God believes in you…Do you believe in yourself? You are a champion on the inside. Do not let anyone or anything stop you from becoming all you can be. Run your race; follow the path God puts before you. Do not compare yourself with others, because no one is designed exactly like you. Keep your eyes on the finish line, and not on those along side of you. Be who God designed you to be, and you will become a champion. You are special God is convinced of this!

Who can you Trust?

It is often easy to feel alone in a world when it is hard to know who to trust. God’s word promises us in Deuteronomy 31:8 “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” You can trust God with whatever you are going through. Often friends and family may let you down, they are not there when you need them, or they just cannot relate to what you may be going through. God understands. He will direct your paths. He will stand with you when no one else will. Trusting God means that you obey what he instructs you to do. Obedience to God’s word, demonstrates that you understand and trust that he knows what is best. You can trust God’s instructions; he will always tell you the right thing to do. In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. You can always put your trust in God’s promises. When you feel that you are alone, and don’t know where to turn, stop and pray; ask God to direct you and comfort you. God loves you and you can trust him always.

On this journey called “LIFE”… Everyday is a gift to be thankful for!
I could write a long list of the things and people for which I am thankful, yet without my personal relationship with God, all these things and people would not be enough to keep my “tank of gratitude” filled. Things come and things go, people love and people disappoint, but God’s love last forever. God has used people and things in my life to demonstrate his unending love for me. I am thankful for the mountain top experiences in my life that have brought unspeakable joy; as well as the valley experiences, that despite the intense pain, taught me to never give up, to believe beyond my doubts and fears. I am thankful that in the mist of the storms of life, there are beams of sunshine that always shine through as a beacon of hope. In a world of uncertainty, I am thankful there is a refuge in God’s peace, a peace that stretches beyond my natural understanding to a place of certainty. Here is where I meet God, and he showers me with his great love. For this, I am forever thankful!

Friendships
We were created by God to be connected with others in relationships. God created Adam so he could fellowship with him. God created Eve to fellowship with Adam. God’s word says in Genesis 2:18 “It is not good for the man to be alone.” God knew that we would need friends. There is something designed in all of us that desires to connect with others, teenagers are no exception. Teenagers seem to have a strong desire to be part of “the group”. This means different things to different people, however, the bottom line is, everyone wants to “belong”. Wanting to belong and have meaningful friendship is great, however, to what extent will you go to “belong”, or be able to say that someone is your “friend”. This is where I see that most teenage girls get trapped. They want to “fit in” so badly that they often make poor choices that often lead to heartaches and disappointments. Can anyone out there relate??? First of all, I would like to share that if you have made Jesus the Lord of your life, you already belong to the greatest family ever…God’s family! As a member of God’s family you are royalty, I know what you are thinking…”Me, royalty”? Yes, YOU! You have been “Fearfully and wonderfully made”, (Psalm 139:14). Now that you know how special God made you, I am going to present this challenge to you. Instead of trying to “fit in” to some popular group, ask yourself this question. “Who is worthy to be MY friend”?

Have you ever thought that the friends you chose should be those who deserve your friendship? Have you ever tried really hard to be accepted, sometimes compromising your own character to do so, only to find out that afterwards, that person(s) turned their back on you? If this sounds familiar, you are not alone! So here is where my challenge comes into play. Instead of trying to fit into others expectations of a friend, begin today, to make decisions regarding the type of friends you would really like in your life. Friendships based on loyalty, respect, kindness and love. (Love based on actions and not just words). Those are the types of people who are “worthy” of your friendship. Do not sell yourself short just to “fit in”. Respect yourself enough to trust God to bring the right friends across your path, and do not settle for “fake friendships”. I know this will be difficult at first, but it will be well worth your effort. Choosing your friends wisely will save you much heartache. You may ask, “How do I know if a person will be a good friend”? You can start by asking yourself a few questions. First of all, how do they treat others that they are in relationship with, because they are likely to treat you the same way. Secondly, do you have to compromise anything about yourself for them to “let you” be their friend? These are just a few. I trust that God will give you a witness in your spirit regarding those people who are “worthy to be your friend”, just ask him to help you. You are special and deserve “good” friends in your life. You are loved!

New Beginnings
Summer is almost over; Fall is just around the corner. A time for new beginnings; new school year, for some a new school, new opportunities, new friends, new teachers. All these changes for teenagers can be both overwhelming and exciting at the same time. Have you ever thought that Jesus is right there with you as you make the adjustment to the new beginnings in your life? God cares for you and he wants to be a part of every area of your life. Many teenagers think they need to leave Jesus at home when they go to school, play sports, and go out with friends. Well, the opposite is true… Jesus wants to come along with you. God is a God of new beginnings. The bible says that his mercies are new every morning! With God all things are made new. God is the inventor of ‘new beginnings’. God wants your walk with him to have a new beginning. He wants to start being with you, talking with you, sharing with you each part of your day. He loves you and he is a forgiving God, what you did yesterday does not surprise God, make a decision to stay close to God and let him give you a ‘new beginning’ for today! The more I talk with teenagers the more I hear them share that they feel “alone”. Nothing could be further from the truth. The bible says God will never leave you or forsake you. That means he is with you each moment of every day. Are you aware of his presence, or are you ignoring him each day. God desires to have a relationship with you, whereby he can lead guide and direct you throughout your day. In your classroom, on the volleyball court, in the lunch room, God is speaking to you all the time. Do you know that you can hear the voice of God speaking to you? Do you ever have a thought that comes into your mind…and you think, “Where did that come from?” Chances are, it was God trying to get you a message. Have you ever had a conversation with your friend, and they said something to you that answered a question you had been struggling with for a long time, and they didn’t even know about it? That was God using someone else to get you a message. You do not have to go through life figuring things out on your own. Use the most powerful tool you have…God living within you to help you through your day. Talk with God, like you would talk with a friend; ask him questions, then listen…for the answers he wants to give you. You will be surprised at how much he knows about you.

God loves you and he has a new beginning for you starting…today! If you do not know God, ask him to come into your heart, he is waiting to walk this life along with you!

Thinking of giving up? Quitting is not an option!
Pressure, is all around us. Wars, earthquakes, floods, blizzards, accidents, job loss, divorce, abortion,…the list could go on and on. Teenage girls today are feeling the pressures of the world around them, and far too many are making bad choices to try and cope with the pressures they are feeling. Many young ladies are turning to drugs, alcohol, cutting, eating disorders, bad relationships, sex; anything that will just …“take the pain away”. What is wrong with this line of thinking? It is merely a disguise to make you think they can take the pain away, and after they have your attention, they destroy you. Where might someone find hope in such a desperate world? I know for many of you, you already know the answer…GOD! But yet, many of you are turning your backs on the truth you know, taking what you think is an easy way out of a problem and consequently causing more problems for yourself and those around you, who love you very much. God says in his word, that he will never leave you or forsake you, he knows the plans he has for you, and he knew you from when you were being formed in your mother’s womb. Yet, at times we forget that God is even here, we search for help instead of searching for the ‘helper’. God is real, and able to lead, guide and direct you. Hope is found in his everlasting promises. God is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. He cannot lie, and he will not forsake you. God says in his word, do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. That sounds like someone I want nearby me when I am hurting and confused. He also says; for I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand, and says to you, do not fear, I will help you. You have God on your side! God can do what drugs, alcohol, sex, and cutting can NOT do for you. God loves you. God promises you that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like Eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Your hope for the desperate situation you may find yourself in…is found in a relationship with GOD. Like all relationships, it is a two way street. I challenge you today, to talk with God, invite him into your life, ask him to carry your troubles for you and teach you how to be an over comer, not someone who gives in under life’s pressures. You were created to be a winner, and winners never quit! So I challenge, you …get up…and keep fighting. Do it God’s way, not the world’s way. The world’s way does not work, but God’s way never fails. Trust in him; put your hope in him. Surround yourself with the love of God and the desire to hurt yourself, will go away, and you will begin to soar on the promises God has for a wonderful life for you. Be brave, take this challenge and reach for all you can be, rise above the circumstances that pressure you, and see that you are more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens you. You are loved and you are valuable. Don’t ever Quit!

Confusion
Today we live in a world where there is much confusion! There is confusion about the economy, confusion about relationships; confusion about war & peace, the list goes on and on. Among teenagers, growing up in the mist of all these “confusing” circumstances, it is important to note that there should be NO confusion about who God is, and that he loves you very much. Yet, the more I talk with teenagers, the more I realize there is confusion, yes even among “church-going” teenagers. My prayer today, is that, as you read this article, God stirs your heart and clears away any confusion about his love for you! The scriptures tell us that “God is Love”. “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. (1 John 4:16). Despite this truth, in the world today, there is still much confusion about what “love” really is. Many teenagers find it hard

to believe that God is a loving God. Could this be mainly, because love has been defined in so many different ways in our world? It is difficult to define “love” when we have a society where parents say they love one another, yet they get divorced; we have moms and dads that say they love their children, yet they are virtually absent from their lives; we have “church communities” that say they love people, yet they judge and condemn. No wonder, if we look to the world, there is confusion about what love is! However, if we look to God we can clearly define love. God says love is everlasting – God will never leave you or forsake you. “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deut. 31:8). We learn in God’s word that he promises to always stand by us. “ No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you”. (Joshua 1:5). God’s love will never end and it cannot be measured. “ Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. (Rms 8: 39). God, through his love for you, made a plan for your life. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11). God has adopted you, you are never without a Father. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God”! (1 John 3:1). This is the kind of love that will put to rest any confusion about what true love is. God is Love, and he loves you! You can depend on the love of God. Do not look to the world for love, look to and rely on God’s love. Spend time with God and you will come to know “love”.

Acceptance
Ever feel “peer pressure” to “FIT IN” with the crowd? You are not alone! The pressure that is out there to conform today is a real issue among teenagers. Everyone likes to feel as though they belong, and often times this desire leads to making bad choices. Ever do something that you were uncomfortable with, but did it anyway because you thought it was what others wanted you to do? Afterwards how did this make you feel? Most of the time, you struggle with guilty feelings of having done something you would not have done on your own, without someone else pressuring you to do so. The best way to overcome peer pressure is to make a decision to follow Jesus. When you truly make a decision to follow Jesus, you always have someone on your side, you are never alone. You do not have to face the pressure on your own. Use Jesus as your guide. When you know how Jesus would act in a situation, then you know what to do, regardless of what others might be telling you. When you decide that being “accepted” by others is not worth risking your self- respect, then you will lean on Jesus to help you resist the peer pressure. True acceptance is being true to your own values, not those others are trying to pressure you into. Jesus accepts you just as you are. You do not have to prove that you are worthy of his acceptance. When others start to pressure you, that should be a sign that they are truly not accepting you, do not be deceived that by doing what they want you to do they will accept you, actually, they are disrespecting you. Jesus loves you just as you are and you are always accepted by him. Choose to be accepted by the best…Jesus!

Thankfulness
I think it only appropriate to talk about Thankfulness this time of year. The holiday season is upon us, Thanksgiving only a week away. Growing up in the world as it is today is a scary place for a lot of teenagers. It seems like the whole world is focused on the economy and what difficult times we are in. I want to encourage you, to have an “attitude of gratitude”, yes even in the mist of these tough times. You may be thinking: “You don’t know how bad things are in my life.” And perhaps you are right, I may not know the specifics of your circumstances, however, I do know a God who does! God knows everything you are going through right this very

moment. That alone is something to be grateful for; you are not alone. God will never leave you or forsake you, trust him to see you through and guide your steps. Be encouraged, I want to share with you some things you can do, when times are really tough! Be thankful…. yes, be Thankful! I want to challenge you to make a “gratitude list”. This is a list where you write down the things you are thankful for, big and small. Sometimes it is the small things that mean the most to us. After you write this list, I want to challenge you to read it completely through once a day, preferably before you start your day, or right before you go to bed. By doing this you are setting your mind in a place to be thankful for all that God has blessed you with, and not what you do not have in your life at the moment. Giving attention to what you have to be thankful for will allow you to consider “how well off” you really are. Keep adding to your list as you remember things to be thankful for. Soon you will realize that your new “attitude of gratitude” has helped shape the way you see things everyday. You will find yourself filled with joy rather than despair. I pray for you now in Jesus name, that you will find peace in the mist of hard times, knowing that there is a God who loves you and will bless you despite what is happening in our economy. To get you started: you can be thankful that you have a computer and can tap into this site for prayer and encouragement, knowing that someone truly cares for you and is faithfully praying for you…now you finish your list……

Teenage girls: Total makeover
I have often heard from teenage girls that they wish they could just get a total…”MAKEOVER!” The idea that life would be better if you had different make up, a new hairdo, new clothes, and so on. These types of makeovers concentrate on the outward appearance, all these things are subject to change, always promising to satisfy, but never truly delivering the ultimate feeling you were looking for. I have good news for you! God is the author of “makeovers.” When you truly give your life to Jesus, he will change your life permanently from the inside out! God will make changes in you that will last for a lifetime and others will notice these changes on the “outside” as well. People will begin to notice that there is something different about you. The difference is that you are making a lasting change that counts! A change that will last, a change that is the real thing, and will not be out dated soon. As teenagers it is easy to get caught up in your outside appearance, without any regard to your character, the real you on the inside! This is who you really are; the person on the inside is the person that you live with everyday. No matter how you try to package yourself on the outside, without paying attention to the inner you, there will always be a part of you that is seeking a “makeover.” Never being satisfied. Jesus loves you; he made you complete in him. You are loved, you are blessed, and you are the child of the King! Keep your focus on these things. Ask Jesus to show you the areas in your life that will begin a makeover on the inside of you. God loves you so much, that he will show you how to develop your character to reflect his love and his goodness. Let Jesus develop your character and you will have the ultimate “MAKEOVER!” Now is the time to focus on developing your character, as it is your character that will carry you to the perfect plan God has for your life.

Teenage Girls Talk about Popularity (or, “being popular”)
Popularity! How important is it for teenage girls to be popular? To what extent are you willing to go to become part of the “in-group”? Are you willing to compromise your values just to say you are friends with a certain crowd? Why is this worth discussing you may think, but of course everyone wants to be accepted. I want to challenge you to evaluate what your personal definition of popularity is. Let’s look at the life of Jesus…Jesus was certainly sought after , but not necessarily with the “popular groups” of that day. Jesus did not follow the crowd, Jesus stayed close to God and did only what God told him to do, and this is what made him so attractive to others. I want to challenge you not to “follow the crowd” for the sake of trying to become accepted by others. You must learn to be the best “YOU” that you can be, and often times this means going against the crowd. What is God telling you to do? Perhaps God is nudging you to be a friend to the new girl on the block, or volunteer your time after school at a study group. It is God’s acceptance of you that will have a lasting impact on your life. The popular groups will come and go, but God’s plans for your life will stretch into eternity. Spend some time praying and asking God just how you can use the gifts and talents he has given you to become “popular” in his eyes.

Depression

Have you ever felt depressed? Many teenage girls have at some point expressed that they have felt depressed. By depressed I mean, great sadness, feeling like no one cares about them, feeling as if they are not important. Well, I have good news for you today! You do not have to be depressed anymore! You may be thinking: “easy for you to say”, you do not realize what is happening in my life! I may not know exactly what is happening in your life but I do know that God loves you. IF God is for you, then no weapon formed against you can hurt you. Depression can only take hold of you if YOU allow it to. You can change your thoughts, you can change your attitude, and you will start to feel better. If you stay focused on what God says about you, and not the circumstances surrounding you, depression will run far from you. Pay attention to the words that you are speaking during the day, and the thoughts you are allowing yourself to think about. Words and thoughts are powerful; they can tear you down or encourage you. Now, I know probably none of you reading this article will admit that you “talk to yourself”, but let’s assume you do: might it sound like this: I am ugly, I am too fat, I am too skinny, no one likes me, I am dumb, my family is weird? Sound familiar to anyone? Thoughts and words like that would depress anyone. Now try to replace those thoughts and words with statements God says about you: You are fearfully and wonderfully made, you are loved, you are forgiven, you belong to the family of God, and you are blessed and highly favored! What a difference words and thoughts can make in how you feel. Choose to agree with what God says about you and watch your life change.

Are You Happy Being You?
Most teenage girls that I talk with are unhappy with who they are. They identify their happiness by how they look, how many friends they have, whether or not they have a boyfriend how well they are doing in school or if they qualify for the cheerleading squad. There are so many reasons to decide you do not like yourself if you are focused on exterior things or people to make you happy. True happiness comes from the inside. God wants you to enjoy your life and celebrate YOU! How do you celebrate YOU in a society that is so focused on material things? You keep your focus on the things of God. Don’t compare yourself to other girls, don’t allow what boys might say about you to affect the way you feel about yourself. Compare yourself to who God says you are! God says you are the apple of his eye, and you are loved! God’s word tells you that you are more than a conqueror and that you can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you. God loves you and has a perfect plan for your life, start today by looking in the mirror and telling yourself how SPECIAL you are! Don’t forget Jesus died on the cross because he loved you so much. God wants you to be happy, and happiness is a decision that You make! Decide today to be happy about who you are! Celebrate yourself and others will begin to notice that there is something different about you! God bless you and have a happy day today.

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